"Kicken" Chicken Pot Pie

They tell me that most toddlers become very particular about what they will eat. I'm still waiting for that day to come. Elli seems to have no reservations. Cooked spinach? You bet. Lima beans? Bring it on. It's a blessing and a curse. That statement may make parents of picky eaters reel, so before your eyes loop around in their sockets like hula hoops, allow me to explain with this story. I call it...

"Kicken" Chicken Pot Pie

1 can reduced-fat cream of chicken soup

1 package frozen mixed vegetables, thawed

1 cup cooked chicken or turkey (e.g., leftoever rotisserie chicken)

1 cup reduced-fat all-purpose baking mix

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

Stir soup, vegetables and chicken into 9 inch pie plate. In small mixing bowl, combine baking mix, egg and milk, forming a soft dough. Spoon over the chicken mixture. Bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until topping is golden brown.

When I saw this Campbell's recipe, I immediately flagged it as a Family Recipe Box contender. As an added bonus, I saw freedom to bring Elli in because the recipe did not require a hot frying pan or sharp utensils.

Elli got right into it. She started with pouring the soup into the baking dish.

Or, I should say, trying to pour it. Creamed soups, even the watery reduced-fat ones, don't really release well on their own. I intervened with a scrapper, forcing the soup to plop little by little into the dish. I scrapped and Elli scooped it right up with her finger. (See where I'm going with this, Picky Eater Parents? Wait, it gets better.)

"No touch, Elli," I said. As if that ever stops her in her tracks.

I quickly turned her attention to the bag of vegetables, having her help me pour them into the dish. They rolled to every corner of the baking dish. Nice, colorful vegetables. Might as well have been a neon sign flashing "For Elli."

"Let's put in the chicken," I said, showing her the storage container full of chicken I had spent part of the Sunday afternoon stripping off the carcus. "Can you pick up the chicken and put it in the dish?"

Yes, she could, but... (watch video)

At this point, I honestly wondered if she would eat anything for supper. But a more immediate thing to focus on was the topping.

"OK, we take our cup and we measure out the baking mix, like this," I told her. "See that?"

She saw that, and tried to eat it.

I pushed her swipping finger away and continued, "Now it's time for the milk."

"Milk!" she said in her faux-desparate voice, you know, the one that lets me know that she can't possibly forge ahead without whatever it is she is asking for. She capped the performance with a dramatic reach toward the refrigerator wherein sat her Holy Grail sippy cup of milk.

"Yeah, I guess you would want milk after all that eating," I said. "Mommy will get it for you after we pour the milk in the bowl. Can you help me pour the milk?"

She helped me pour the measuring cup of milk, and then watched me as I cracked the egg into the bowl.

"Now we stir," I said. I did a couple of revolutions to show her how to stir and then asked her if she wanted to stir.

Oh, she did, and she also wanted to eat the batter, lifting the spoon to her mouth as if eating cereal.

I gently took over the stirring and told her to watch, which she did for about two seconds before grabbing - and trying to eat - the egg shell I had foolishly left within her grasping radius.

"Icky, Elli!" I said. That made her pause long enough for me to snatch the egg shell.

I stopped progress on the dish until I took inventory of everything around her that I thought she would want to try to eat and removed it. Apparently, I miscalculated....

I have no explanation. I birthed her; I did not wire her.

I swiftly spooned the batter onto the chicken mixture and put the dish in the oven. We then set about cleaning up. Elli expertly threw away the trash (except the egg shell, of course) we accumulated.

Half an hour later, the dish was done, looking quite similar to the cookbook picture, if I do say so myself.

And to the worries I had about her eating anything for supper? She had seconds. Blessing and a curse. But I wouldn't have it any other way.

Things Elli Could Do: Pour vegetables into dish Identify vegetables in the dish (albeit right before they went into her mouth) Transfer chicken from container to dish Help stir ingredients Help pour and combine baking mix and milk Overall Kicken Chicken Pot Pie Ratings: Elli-friendly cooking: 5 Elli-friendly eating: if it's not obvious, you didn't read very closely Simple: 5 Fast: 4 (borderline long baking time, but not bad) Frugal: 5 (you could use canned chicken too)

Question of the Week: What has your child put in his/her mouth that made you sigh from exasperation?